Artist Tim Mann wants to draw around 10,000 Stamford residents

A professional artist is planning to create a unique portrait of Stamford – by drawing around the bodies of up to 10,000 local residents.

Tim Mann, 49, who grew up in the town but now lives in King’s Lynn, is well known for his collaborative ‘Crowded Room’ artworks, which see volunteers gather at a public location and stand against a huge canvass where the outline of their body is traced in charcoal.

The thousands of outlines overlap and come together to create a unique portrait of the community. Tim is fascinated by the interaction between individuals and groups and passionate about encouraging more people to take an interest in visual arts.

It is hoped the artwork will be created in late February or early March next year – with the finished piece going on display initially at Stamford Arts Centre later that month.

Tim said: “It is always a fascinating experience. A simple outline of one body is not very interesting to look at, but when you have the accumulation of thousands on one canvas it’s very powerful.

“Sometimes I do all the drawing, and sometimes I allow people to draw around each other. We take the essence of each individual – their outline. It’s a very personal experience and people feel like they’ve left something behind.”

Tim is hoping someone will let him use an empty shop unit, or other large space in the town centre, to create the artwork over a week or so. It is likely to be around 2.5 metres high and seven metres long.

He will also need an army of volunteers to take part and is hoping to secure financial backers to help fund the project.

Tim added: “A lot of people find it intimidating going into an art gallery and that saddens me. I want to help break down barriers by getting thousands of people involved in this project.”

For more information about Tim’s Crowded Room artworks, or to get in touch and offer your support, visit timmannartist.com